November 19, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 19, 1945

Dear Mother:

What do you think of green ink?  I ran out today and have no more blue so I have to use some that Bill left behind.  

I got your letter today and noticed right away the two Air Mail stamps.  I had been wanting an Air Mail stamp for a letter going to Mary.  I owe her a letter and when the mail goes by Air the lapse time seems less.  So I will send one of them off to Mary.

I have just gotten over a bad case of tonsils.  I had a sore throat when I got back and last Wed my tonsils became inflamed and swelled up so I could hardly swallow.  It was about twice as bad as a sore throat.  I went on sick call and the "Doc" gave me some pills which did no good.  Well now I can write because I am all over my trouble and you won't worry.  I don't know just what cured my trouble but it is really gone now.  I feel like having my tonsils out and will if I have any more trouble.

I guess the women do take a lot of my time and perhaps money but I don't know what to do about it.  Maybe it's me but it doesn't seem to be something you can take or leave.  If I don't see Anne I miss her and when I realize that soon I will be gone for good I feel that I will miss her very much.  I probably could live very well without the female influence but they do make life more interesting.  So what can I do about my case?

Do you remember that pink shirt I said I was going to give to Anne?  Well she has it now and what a perfect fit.  She put it on for me last night when I went home with her and I have never seen a better shrink job in my life.  It looks like it was made special for her and fitted to her.  I was so happy when I saw it.  She says it will be a good golf shirt.

You should have seen me this weekend.  I went to one of those much publicized "Dude" Ranches up in Bandera Texas about 50 miles from San Antonio.  I wore a beautiful red, black and yellow plaid shirt, a pair of blue jeans and a pair of cowboy boots.  I hadn't intended to tell you about the boots because I am sure you will think I am crazy but I have had them some time now and they fit well and I don't feel so foolish about them.

Well to go on with the story, those clothes were all I wore up there.  I really felt like a civilian again.  We got up there at 8:00 PM and I changed my clothes in a cabin and off to town we went.  We all had on plaid shirts and blue jeans so we bummed a ride.  They have dances going on all over the place so we picked out one and danced almost all night.  They have hill-billy music in the "Juke Box" so we danced "Put Your Little Foot", "Shoittish" and "Cotton Eyed Joe" most of the time.  We had a grand time doing all those funny new dance steps.

No one sleeps in Bandera, not if anyone else knows about it.  We all had two cabins which were connected by a bathroom and all night after we got back they were throwing water, wet towels, wet sheets and finally wet pillows at each other through the bathroom.  Finally things quieted down a little and then someone filled a bunch of "coke" bottles full of water and then went around soaking beds.  That was the last straw as far as any good sleep was concerned.  So at 0600 AM everyone was asleep but up at a 0800 AM for breakfast.

After breakfast we went riding and I as usual looking like a great horseman was given a high strung horse.  I had to hold him for all of the 3 hours and all he did was prance around stiff legged.  Boy!  do I have a sore rear end.  I wore the skin off in places and can hardly sit down.  Anyway I pick nice big soft chairs now if they are available.

These photos are probably not from this trip, but from an earlier one in either Phoenix or Roswell,
as evidenced by the uniform and lack of plaid or cowboy boots.

After a wonderful dinner they all couldn't stop to sleep for a few minutes but had to go play softball and then go dance again.  Anne and I finally got the party back so I could change clothes and back to town we came last night at about 9:00 PM.  It had really been a memorable weekend, one I shall never forget.

Today I am sleeping in between formations.  I have one more to go and then I must get some shoes in town.  What I really need is rest and more rest and it feels like it will take a week to get it all.  I think the trip was all worth while, because I have some clothes like I have never had before and a lot of pleasant memories.

I guess I am running out of paper so will have to close for now.

With love

Austin

PS Just call me "Tex"

November 10, 1945

Brooks Field

Nov. 10, 1945

Dear Mother:

Here I am basking in Texas and it isn't all it is cracked up to be.  I got back last night at 7:00 PM with lots of time to spare.  The train ran on schedule all the way from St. Louis.  We got into S.L. 1:15 late but still had 4 hours to spend.

I came all the way with a 1st Lt. named Flaherty from Boston.  He was coming to Ft. Sam Houston to redistribution and rehabilitation.  He had been a victim of concussions over in the Islands.  We did a lot of talking and had a lot of fun together.  He had 104 points and was in for 6 mos or more because of his injury and I am about to get out.  Which brings up the all important subject.

It seems the army wants you to be either in or out.  They don't want anyone in for 6 mos. as I wish but must reenlist for 3 years in the regular Army.  So- that means I will be home for Christmas this year.  Bill Ayers is going home next week to separation and I have to sign up for separation Monday.  Of course I shan't wave my discharge for 3 yrs but will get out immediately.  So you can start looking for good looking civilian clothes and colleges.

It has been a bad day today.  It rained all morning.  I had to run around a little but I had lots of warm clothes and my rain coat was handy.  I have a date tonight with Anne which will be a lot of fun I am sure.

If you can't read this letter it is just because we have to write on the bed for lack of a table.  I can hardly read what I write so you must be having a lot of fun.  I guess you have had a lot of experience reading bad writing.

Everyone was glad to see me back, at least they seemed that way.  Bill and I had a lot to talk over and he kept me awake most of the night and I haven't slept all day.  I lost my pillow somewhere so I have nothing for my head.  The bed is awful hard after mine at home, army life is rather rough.

Now my only problem is, what to do when I get home.  I have little desire to work or to go to school right away.  I also hate to spend all my money and have no income so coming home will be as hard as going away.  I think I would like to get a good hard job which might do me a little good physically or get a job flying or something.  You can't have both but you can see how little I know about what I want to do.  So you had better start reading all those stories on how to treat your returning soldier because I will be out and on my way before you can guess.  Maybe this time I will really surprise you when I walk in.

I was kind of upset to leave last Wed. but I guess I didn't look too disappointed.  It is rather hard to leave after you have had so much fun.  I think I had more fun on this leave than on any before and seeing it is the last I am glad it was so.  I guess we split the time up about right and I spent the right time in the right places.

Well I must go eat and then run.  You know I can't be late.

With love

Austin

"Doc" 

October 12, 1945

Brooks Field

Oct. 12, 1945

Dear Mother:

I guess you wonder why the long silence do you not?  Well I know of no good reason except that I have been occupied by a number of things of late.

First I have found something to do in my spare time; in fact it takes up all my time.  They have a "Hobby Shop" here where you can make all kinds of things from wood or metal or plastic.  As yet I haven't found anything special to make but have just dubbed around.  They have all the tools but none of the mechanical equipment.   They do have electrical had drills and a portable sander and the rest is makeshift.  So the other day I set myself up a lathe and spent the day making screwy designs of no value.

Then I spent a day putting my leave through which is scheduled for the 23rd.  If all goes well I will be home by the 24th on the American Airlines.  It is to be for 10 days leave and 7 days travel time but seeing I am going on the Airlines I will really have 15 days leave and 2 days travel time which is a better deal.  The reason I am coming so late is because the Airlines to Dallas are so crowded they couldn't make space for more than 2 weeks.  But don't worry I will get there soon.

Tuesday nights are always boxing night in town.  Going to the matches is another way we spend time and money.  Some of the fights are really good and the crowd is really thirsty for blood.  They are really thrilling and they draw huge crowds.

Then on Wednesday night we go to the wrestling matches which are more fun than boxing.  Ask A.P. about them and I guess he can tell you about them.  Every one but some of these stupid Mexicans knows the thing is cut and dry and is just a big show before things start but they are really fun.  Some of the characters they get out in the ring are just plain funny to look at.  Even though they look like they are pounding each other to death and tearing each others arms and legs off, they way they walk away from the ring, is sufficient proof of few injuries.  They throw each other around but do little damage and get the most applause when they both start in on the referee.  Anyway it is fun.

Then on Sunday it is the Jalopy Races.  Everyone who has a car that has been smashed up but will still go around a gravel pit track they have, gets said heap and enters in the races.  They too are a lot of fun to watch.  Cars get run into ponds, over banks, into mud holes and tipped over, which leads to the thrills of a lifetime.  

So if you are smart and want to have peace in the family you had better get my clothes out of moth balls and get them cleaned and pressed.  It must be cold up there because it is getting cool here and we can wear winter clothes any time.  I am going to bring home all the summer things I have because I doubt if I will ever need them again in the Army.

Well this is the last of the paper.  I will have to buy some more tomorrow.

With love 

Austin

PS Oh yes we moved to the other end of the field yesterday and may have a change in address soon.

September 15, 1945

Randolph Field

Sept. 15, 1945

Dear Mother:

I am a little short on letter writing time at present but I have 2 money orders here to go so I guess I had better send them while I still have them.

Pop paid 1/2 of my income tax and so will want about $65.50 from you so I guess you had better give it up.  I had hoped to put off sending in the tax money until the end of the year but it is just as well now since they will be after me for it sooner or later anyway.  I may as well pay for this war as long as I have the money.  I am certainly getting more for my money than I am spending.

Here is some hot news.  When you receive this letter I will no longer be a member of Randolph Field.  We are shipping across town to Brooks Field so we will still be in S.A.  We have been hearing all kinds of rumors about shipping out and most of them were morale killers.  Everyone thought we were headed for the sands of N.M. again or maybe North Texas.  As it stands now we are still in civilized territory if you can say that of Texas.

As for the money you can pay Pop and put the rest in the bank or any place suitable.  I don't think I want War Bonds because they are hard to get a hold of in a hurry just in case I see something I want.  I could sure use a good car.

I sent Mary a birthday present which should get there on time.  Please give me your opinion of it and be very frank.  I looked around a lot and just couldn't find anything that she might like.  Maybe I am a little too choosy but any way it has gone now and I hope it is fitting of the occasion.

Well I met a girl in San Antone.  Maybe you read Pop's letter or he told you.  She is a little younger than Mary and rather nice looking with Mary's freckles.  She seems rather proud of them too and I might say that freckles never hurt anyone's appearance.  Anne Roberts is her name and she comes from Wausau Wisc.  Her dad is a lumber and paper man; you see I am almost a member of the family.  She is a swell kid and more fun than a barrel of monkeys, and very inexpensive.  But never you fear, Mother dear, it is not the real thing and I will still come home single, I hope.  It is too bad you don't get to see these lovely creatures I get on the string so you could give me some advice.  I could really use some at times and all I have is a roommate but what does he know about women.

Well I will write again soon from Brooks Field and give you my new address.  We report there on the 17th before 23:59

With love

Autin.

September 6, 1945

Sept. 6, 1945

Dear Mother:

I don't suppose you actually did leave home last Tuesday as you said you might in your letter.  If you had left I am sure I would have heard from you by now and I could plan but I am just assuming that you are at home.

I have no idea how far you could of gotten with your plans but from your letter I got the idea you were coming and to get ready.  So I did the best I could in the short notice I had.

Maybe you all are thinking I am making excuses but you have not seen San Antonio.  It is the closest thing to a mad house I have ever seen.  It is so crowded it surprises me where the people all sleep.  The streets are crowded all of the time and everything looks like Saturday night.

Hotel reservations have to be made 2 weeks in advance unless they have a cancellation.  All of the motor courts and motels are full and I believe that the park benches are pretty well taken care of.  It is next to impossible to eat unless you go in at odd hours.

I had no idea you would decide in a hurry to come or even had an idea that you would take me up on it.  That is why last Friday I took off without checking the mail or anything.  I did not return until Tuesday late and found all the telegrams (one) and the letters.  I should have wired you right away but decided to call on the plane.  I placed the call at 1730 and it finally was through at 2330 and they rang for several minutes with no result.  It would have been 12:30 at home and I don't suspect anyone was up.  But I wish someone could have got up and answered because I felt it was very important, so much so that I sat on marble stairs for 6 hours.

Now I don't know if your plans went so bad that you don't want to try again or not but here is the deal.  Tell me in time to make reservations in Austin which will be a lot more comfortable.  I can really get things fixed up then.  Also I can get a V.O.C.D. and get off for 6 days or more.  It all has got to be arranged but please don't try to get in touch with me on a weekend especially a holiday weekend.

Now if you have left Stoneham and are already home again just disregard this and tear it up.

I went to my first and I hope it is my last military funeral today.  A very good friend and a swell fellow was killed in a crash last Friday.  He was my roommate here and I had known him all the way from B17 transition at Roswell.  He was from Alaska and because of that he was buried at Ft. Sam Houston not far from here.  The Army really did a swell job and made it a very impressive ceremony. His name was Varnell, you may have remembered the name from some of my letters.  He, Bill Ayers, and I had been triple dating together for some time.  His girl in Austin was very broken up; I guess they had planned to get married but maybe it is a good thing they didn't.  Well so ends the tale of another who gave his all but will be remembered only by his friends and relatives.  This sure is a rough life if you don't take it easy and take too many chances.  I am going to have a lot of grand children.

Well Addie Mae and I had a little misunderstanding last Monday.  So I don't know what is going to happen.  I wrote her a letter that was a little on the nasty side so I guess my future in Austin is all taken care of for me.  She is such a good kid I hate to hurt her but sometimes I get so mad I could lick wild cats and I happened to write a letter while in such a mood.

Theodore Roosevelt saying to William Howard Taft, "I can lick my weight in wildcats, C.Q.D!", and Taft replying, "Oh, that’s nothing; I can eat my weight in ’possums, P.D.Q!" 1906.

Well I guess I have written enough.  I wish you had come because I am sure we could have managed.  

With love

Austin

July 24, 1945

San Marcos

July 24, 1945

Dear Mother:

I got your letter of the 17th and you seemed a little unhappy about not receiving any mail.  I don't blame you a bit and I guess I need someone to get me on the ball.  I guess I write a lot more to Mary than anyone else right now.  Well I will try to think of more to go in my letters and get them off more often.

Here is a good idea of just what kind of a climate we have here.  It rained today and it got so muggy that when I was standing in a breeze the sweat on my arms and hands would not evaporate.  After dinner I went to sleep for a couple of minutes and woke up with little beads of sweat all over me.  I guess it is just as they say at home, it's not the heat but the humidity.  I have no idea what the humidity around here is but it sure must be terrible.

Well I may be lucky because I didn't get a leave.  Bill Samput got his leave fixed up and now he is shipping out to go to Roswell N.M. for B29 co-pilot.  It seems that it happened to all the fellows who got leaves.  So maybe not getting a leave was a good thing after all.

Bill Samput is on the orders to go to Roswell.  So after knowing him for a couple of months more than a year we are parting.  Well we have had a lot of fun together and I have met his folks.  They were swell and I enjoyed my stays with them.

Let me tell you what happened this weekend.  I met a cop up at Addie Mae's house a week ago and he is a flying enthusiast more or less.  He asked me if I wouldn't like to go flying with him Sunday and I was more than willing to accept.  So Sunday he called the hotel in Austin where I was staying and said he was ready to go.  He has a car so we went out to an airport where he has had some in striation.

Well this is a long story but I have a lot of time.  He had told me previously that he had flown a year with the C.A.P. so I assumed he had several hundred hours.  He also said that he had flown AT-6s which made him a hot rock.  I had to get checked out in this cab which took about 8 minutes on the ground and in the air and then off we went.  

Well we got out to the point of take-off and he asked me to take it off, so I did but I thought it was rather strange that he didn't want to fly.  I took off and asked him if he wanted it and he took over.  We went flying over the city and after a while he got tired and asked me if I wanted to fly.

Sure I wanted to fly so I moved from a position of resting with my elbows on my big knees to where I could put my hands on the throttle and stick I hit the throttle and the engine quit.  Well old Timmy almost hit the roof.  He turned around, shaking like a leaf and said in a very halting voice that I had better take it.  So I grabbed the throttle and away we went.

Well from the way he flew and by his reactions I should have known more about his flying but I being an innocent pilot still accepted his word of 1 year with the C.A.P. flying the border.  Taking things for granted in an airplane does not work.

We came in and I shot a landing and then I told him to take over and shoot one.  When we got around to the final approach into the field he turned around and told me to follow him through which was OK by me.  But when he started to level out 100' up instead of 10' I really started to sweat and when the ship stalled out about 25' up and the bottom felt like it fell out I was really sweating.  I gave it the power in a hurry and we hit and made 4 hard bounces which would make your teeth rattle.

We taxied up to the ramp and got out and then I found out that Timmy wasn't such a hot rock.  He had exactly 3:15 actual recorded stick time and the rest was what he could pick up while navigating on the border.  Well let me tell you that the next time I went up with him I didn't take too much for granted and I stayed glued to the controls.  I guess you can learn something every day, even on Sundays.

Next Sunday I am going to take Addie Mae and her roommate for a ride in a Stenson 105 if I can get checked out.  I think I can so it will be a lot of fun but also rather expensive.  It will cost $10 an hour so you can see where the money goes.  "Bus man's holidays" are rather expensive.

Stenson 105

Maybe I shouldn't tell you my trouble but this climate is kind of getting me down.  I am losing weight rather fast and I don't quite know when it will stop.  Also I feel just sluggish and uncomfortable.  I only feel good when I am cooled off while swimming and only then do I feel well enough to have any fun. I hope I can get used to this climate but it is really the worst I have ever been in.  It leaves you without enough energy to live, in fact I find that I drag my feet unless I think about it.  That is getting bad when you can't find strength to lift your feet.

You probably remember the Bulova watch you sent to me more than a year ago.  Well that darn thing is more trouble than it is worth.  I have spent more on repairs for it than anything I own.  It is just not a hardy enough watch for what I am doing.  I have another watch so don't be surprised if you find this watch in the mail.  I have just l most the stem and will have to replace it.  I have too much trouble to have it around.

Well I shall send these pictures of the Samputs and me.  They are not too hot but they are all right.  You can get an idea of what they look like.  They are typical Texans if there is any way of telling.

Well I hope I am forgiven for not writing because I think of writing much oftener than I do.  

With love

Austin

July 19, 1945

San Marcos

July 19, 1945

Dear Esther:

Well here is the letter you have been expecting.  I suppose I am a little slow but really I am just short of time.  Most letter writing breaks into my social life and you can't have that.  We are going to have some movies here in class now so I have a lot of time while they try to figure out how the contraption works.

We are scheduled to fly tonight but not many fellows will show up. Most of them went on sick call and are off flying for a couple of days.  That means we will only have to fly a couple of hours instead of the regular 4.  

Pop wrote and said you went to see Grandma recently.  I wish I could get to see her again but this darn leave situation is a pain in the neck.  I guess Grandma would like to see me too.

The moves are all over.  They were a couple of U.S. propaganda films about Japan.  You have never seen them and probably never will.  They are called "Our Enemy Japan" narrated by Joseph C. Grew. It was the 4th time I had seen the picture so you can imagine I was slightly bored to say the least.  I just wish someone would wise up and burn some of the films everyone in the army has seen 4 times.  I guess they are saving them for the kids they draft, so they can bore them awhile.

You should have seen the wonderful certificate I got from the civilian defense which by now much be pretty well gone by.  Anyway probably Pop got the same thing saying that they were "grateful for my patriotic service and loyalty during World War II".  I showed it to everyone and the consensus of opinion was that I should be able to go to heaven with all the big dogs now.  Maybe I should just get out of the Army I am needed so badly at home.

Oh yes, by the way, there is a way to get around this leave deal.  So far 10 fellows have left.  Each one has given 3 stock excuses, either their wife had to go home to have a baby and that they had to take her, or that they were going to get married, or that a long lost half brother is coming home after 3 years in the So. Pacific and they want to see him.  Now which one should I use?

Each week I get the paper and look at all the news from the servicemen.  It seems that all the kids younger than I am are getting into the war and getting pretty ribbons while I sit on my dead fanny here in Texas.  You should get a ribbon for being stationed here but they won't hear of such a thing.  All you ever see in the papers around here is how Texas and the United states are winning the war.   They sure think it is a great state.  What I was going to say is; what am I going to tell my kids and their kids when they ask what I did in the great war?  I will have to make up a good story and stick to it.

I guess everyone has noticed that I have a box number.  They had such a mess over at the mail section when they had to go through a whole stack of mail just to find my one little mangy letter that they decided to make boxes.  Now you can go in and look in your box and if no mail, they don't have to look through a stack of mail.  By the way I was only kidding about the one letter, I really get more than I write and am thankful for it.

I always get letters from Pop but seldom write.  The same is true with Mother but I write to Mother  little more frequently.

Well I have got to cut this gab and scram.  I don't know where or what I will do until 7:30 when we fly but I guess I can find something.

Mother has a birthday coming up on the 1st of Aug. is that right.  Anyway if I send anything it will be on the First.

With love

Austin

June 11, 1945

San Marcos

June 11, 1945

Dear Mother:

I got your first letter addressed to San Marcos today.  It was the first piece of mail to this new address.

Yes I have received a lot of mail lately but mostly because they messed up my mail box.  They had been putting my mail in the wrong box or they had been reading off the wrong names and putting it in my box so that I wasn't getting the mail.  It finally got straightened out and then I had a whole raft of mail.

They are now trying to make navigators out of us.  We are going through the regular course down here.  We are going to get another pair of wings if we complete the course.  We are not going to get very much time in the AT-7 except in studying navigation.  There is nothing in AT-7 training that can be very beneficial except that I have never flown a twin engine ship.  It will be good experience for me but for a lot of others it means nothing.  Our training in Ardmore was considered completed when we left so this is not extended training or anything like that.  It is just a navigation course because they have nothing better for us to do.

They have a very large pool here of pilots and navigators.  Most all are combat crews such as I and they are here "spinning their wheels" waiting to be sent to B29s or B24s or anything which will eventually lead to overseas.  We are permanently stationed on this field  to take this course which may mean most anything.  Anyway this course is not appreciated so it is not doing much good.  We are just going over stuff we have had before and no one is very serious about it.  No one wants to be a navigator so do not try to do the work.  I just wish they would give me a flying job so I could work everyday and then I would be happy.  I have no desire to go to school anymore.

Bill Sampert and I went to Dallas Sat and got back this morning at 1200.  Of course we stayed with his folks and they were swell to me.  They try to stuff me and fill me up so much that I can hardly see.  We went swimming and Bill hit his lip on his knee and cut it open so much so that it took 3 stitches to put him together.  His poor mother broke down when she saw him and almost had a fit.  She is much too nervous and worries too much about her one and only.  I believe if he ever gets married and leaves home his mother will have an awful hard time.  When I compare mothers I am awful glad that you don't worry too much and are not so nervous.  At least I hope you don't get as upset as Mrs. S. got over such a trivial thing.

I suppose I could write a lot more but I want to write to Mary so you can read her letter too and get all the latest news.  I guess really I haven't a lot to say except that I could tell you about this field but even that hasn't much of interest.  It is just another training field but a little worse because it is in the training command.

Well I have a letter to C. Davies to get off so I will try to do that now if I can.  I have heard a couple of "POPs" on the radio lately and they are very good.

With love

Austin

April 9, 1945

April 9, 1945

Dear Mother:

I have been intending to write for two days but just haven't gotten around to it.  Today I got the box with the cake and the hat and cookies so I had to write.  I haven't had time to eat any yet or go through the boxes very well so I can't compliment you on your wonderful cooking but everything at least looks wonderful.  The frosting is not sticking too badly so everything is in good shape.  The hat has about another thousand hour crush so the right thing got crushed.

See the bottom of the linked page for an explanation of the thousand hour crush.

I also got a notice that my clothes are in town at the Railway Express station.  They didn't come to the field as I expected they would because they are coming C.O.D.  Whenever they are shipped that way I have to go in town and get them.  It would be rather hard if I didn't know where I could get a car to haul the box in.  My pilot has a car and he can get everything.  Thank you very much for being so prompt, so much so in fact they are here a little early.  I don't need them for a week or so yet but probably they will need pressing.

Yesterday we flew our high altitude for the second time while here.  We had a swell ship for low altitude but not so good for the cold.  It was a -20 C up there which is really only about -10 F so really not so bad.  We had no heater and I had no warm boots so I nearly froze my feet off.  I finally had to get up and put my feet on the warm inverters which act as generators.  I stood on them for five minutes and melted the ice between my toes.  Even so my ankles were cold and I was chilled to the bone.  We were at 20,000' for 4 hours and finally the heat was all gone from in the ship.  That was when I began to get cold.  I did have gloves and a heavy fur jacket so it wasn't so bad.  Next time I will know better and take my boots too.

Our turbos froze up so we couldn't climb above 20,000' but we sure could come down.  We came down slow and had a lot of airspeed.  I don't know what our ground speed was but we started down and came 100 miles in less than 25 minutes.  We really dropped the bottom out from under that box car.  We got home so quick the navigator is still wondering where we lost all those miles back there some where.

Sigmund Romberg

Now to continue tracing back what has happened I find that last Friday we went to see and hear Sigmund Romberg in town.  He really put on a big show for all of these Okies and they really loved it.  What I can't see is how he could afford to play at such a small town. We had the best seats in the house (nothing but the best for us) and it was only $2.10 so he couldn't have made an awful lot.  I will send a program to you if I can locate it in time for the next letter.  Do tell me where he finds those girls who sing.  Not only were they easy on the eyes but they had a good set of pipes.  He said he prides himself in knowing a good voice when ever he saw one.  Even I couldn't do better and I am younger.  They were really talented and good looking.  What a combination.  Maybe Mary knows some at school that way whom I could meet next time I am home.  I will bring my navigator too because he also approved of them.

An evening with Romberg 1945

Well things run along more or less routine and not much happens.  I haven't spent any money on anything for so long I am just loaded with money.  I am trying to get my $400 check cashed to send home but I can't find time to go over when the feather merchants have the place opened.  The war ends at 4:30 PM for them and my war lasts a little longer.  One of these days when we have to stand by at the flight line I will get a lot done.  Tomorrow we may stand by so be looking for the money.

The only excitement of late was a P63 from this field crash landed in a field.  He came in with wheels up of course and an "Okie" runs up and asks him why he landed here.  He also asked if them thar things don't have wheels on them.  I got a big bang out of these poor dumb creatures you meet down this way.  I guess you can't blame them because most of this country is in bad financial shape and pretty much run down.  The soil looks good and they have rain but they just can't make things grow.

I was kind of wondering how much my total assets were.  I have a few bonds and some in the bank.  Maybe you could get Pop to find out and send me the bad news.  It doesn't have to be in a hurry or anything so don't worry but I kind of would like to know.  If I am much short of $750 in bonds and bank account please write after I send the next money order.  I should have at least that.  Maybe I haven't saved enough even so.  I have tried to save my flying pay and I don't know if I am short or not.

I have been writing this letter from the Club and as usual there is a lot of confusion.  We are setting up on a balcony overlooking the dance floor and stage so are away from a lot of it.  This is a pretty good club as clubs run but not the best I have been in.  The one at Roswell was about the best but this one isn't too bad.  I guess I never write much about our home away from home. You might be interested in something about this club, they loose money on everything except the slot machines and they pay for everything.  They make an average of $100 a day on them so they can afford to payout some money on other things.  Last month they got $3,300 on the slot machines and about $1 of it was mine so this is almost a free hang out.  Of course we pay $4 a month dues so it is really very inexpensive especially when they have free sacks and beer or cokes Saturday.  I don't have a lot to do over here so don't get all the benefits I could.

Well I guess I have chewed the rag enough.  I guess you don't get much information from my letters but spend a lot of time decoding them.

With love

Austin.

March 26, 1945

Mar. 26, 1945

Dear Mother:

I haven't written to you for quite some time it seems.  Maybe I am neglecting you.  If so I hope you don't mind too much this once.

We are definitely going into Summer uniform next month so send mine as soon as you can.  I will really need them next week.  I will be looking for them pretty soon too.  It is getting rather warm here with temperatures around 70 or 80 every day.  I guess they figure it is warm enough now.

I suppose by now the trees are beginning to bud and things look like spring again.  I guess everyone is glad to see it coming after all the snow you had.  I kind of wish I had seen some more of that snow. By the way I will send those negatives so you can see the pictures you took.

We had a little excitement up in the air today.  Usually after we have ground checked the ship for take off the crew chief gets out because he doesn't fly.  When getting out he always turns off the auxiliary power unit which we call at "putt putt" which is actually a small generator.  However the crew chief was not the regular man and when getting out left the generator on.  After take off the tail gunner started back to his position and accidentally stepped on the leads and shorted one of them out.  It made a lot of sparks and set the insulation on fire and burned a 1/2" hole in a rib.  The first I heard about it was that we had a fire in the waist.  I turn immediately back to the field and gone an emergency landing.

Inside of a B-17 with Lt. Bob Welty

Although I knew the fire was not out I had no idea whether the whole waist had burned or if someone had started a fire in his clothes, so it wasn't till after we were on the ground and parked did I get a chance to see what actually had been done.  We really didn't damage anything very much because a little tape fixed everything but what might have happened doesn't make me feel good.

The wires on the generator are usually covered with gas and oil because they don't take too much care how they fill the engine.  The mount is also pretty well soaked and made of wood.  With all that gas and oil and those red hot sparks made by the burning aluminum it is a wonder nothing caught.  The aluminum-magnesium skin really burns and is actually impossible to extinguish so we could have had a wonderful fire if we had given it a chance.  The crew was right on the ball and had it out before it really got started.  However the hazard is in every ship on the field.  Next time we will know better. Experience is a hard teacher but it sure leaves an impression for a long time.  I'll not forget my lesson for a while.

I wish you could go to N.Y. and just see what there is to see.  If nothing better just go for a ride on the buses and go to the end of the line and come back.  I had more fun doing that than doing most anything.  Sometimes it looks a little silly but who cares.  You will never see any of the people you meet on a bus again so who cares.  Then you can go and see Radio City and all.  I am sure if I went I could find loads to do and lots of places to go.  I think in most of the cities I have been in that if you go looking for something you can't exactly identify like just plain adventure or excitement that when you least expect it it pops up.  I have had a lot more fun walking around waiting for something to happen than seeing some of these famous places.

Too bad about the man power shortage.  I wish I could be home to putter around but if I were it would be the same story, man power shortage.  I wouldn't be able to sit down long and probably cutting bushes and grape vines would not look too good.

I only wish you would pull some stunt which would make the family wonder about you.  They expect to see you every night when they get home but if you didn't show up some night and left only an ambiguous message I am sure they would not take you so much for granted.  I guess such things are for young people only and after you get your responsibilities you have to stay around.

I just had a bright idea.  Why don't you go down and see my navigator's mother.  She lives down in Conrad and would probably like to see you.  It would be a chance to get away and someone to go see.  It's a chance to go somewhere and have an excuse.  If the idea sounds good I will get his address and he will write his mother.  At least you could write to her.  He says that his mother also sounds a little bored with the same old thing every day.

Well your bright idea boy must sign off and go to bed.  I really need the sleep because my head is beginning to ache.

With love

Austin XX

March 18, 1945

Sunday Mar 18

Dear Mother:

I wrote to Mary yesterday but the letter won't go out till this one does so you will get two letters today.  I sent Mary's to B.U. so if she is on the ball she will get hers at school today.  I thought that in that way I could write two letters and not crowd the Stoneham mail.

The Independent has been coming very regularly.  It comes on Wednesdays or Thursdays so I get the news while it is relatively new.  All mail takes about 3 days which is as good as it was in Lincoln and a lot better than when I was further West.

I have several things on my mind but I can't think of them all at once.  One thing is that it is getting warm here and summer uniforms will be in style again soon.  I would suggest that you get my clothes cleaned up and fit to send because I may want them soon.  It gets quite warm here during the day.  In fact it was 75 F. yesterday and made me think spring was here.  We will need the Summer clothes before I leave since we are scheduled to leave on May 16 which is considered the summer in uniform regulations.  If you could clean up everything now and send them I am sure I could find place for them.  If you do could you find some kind of a clothes bag to keep the blouse in to keep it away from all this coal smoke.

I hadn't realized that grandma was 89 years old.  Maybe you reminded me some time ago but it must have slipped by somehow.  I wish I had sent a card.  Maybe I shall write a letter instead.  I have some Chamber of Comm. literature I could put in which she might enjoy.  She is so interested in such things.

I sure would like to bring the crew to Boston some time.  However there is little hope for such a thing.  It might happen if we flew across instead of going on a boat.  If we flew we would go the Central route which has a refueling stop over at Nashua N.H. or some place like that.  Then it might be possible if we had bad weather to be grounded for a few days and then everyone could come down and see Boston.  If we go by boat we might leave by way of N.Y. although the last shipment from Lincoln went through Boston.  It would be a troop movement and no one could leave and there are few chances of having a layover because of weather.

Training goes on as usual except weather gives us a break every once in a while.  It seems that the weather in this part of the country has a bad tendency to be bad a lot of the time.  It doesn't rain all the time but the ceilings are too low to take off.  We have to have 1500' ceilings before we can leave the ground.  Often they reach 1000' but that still keeps us down.  When you get up rested and ready to fly it kind of makes you mad to sit around doing nothing.  It seems I always want to fly but the crew is content to see bad weather.  I don't blame them too much because they don't have much to do in the air.  I believe today we won't fly because it looks like rain so we will have to sit down on the line for 5 hours or more waiting for the weather to break or looking at G.I. movies I have seen a dozen times.

I really don't have many ideas for letters this morning.  Last night I could have written a book but today I am short of words.  I really don't have time to write either because it is time to eat and then go to the line.

Meals around here are not too hot.  They cost 50 cents apiece but are not too filling.  If I get fat or gain any weight at all it will be because we have access to other food at the officer's club and at a cafeteria.  I spend most of my money nowadays on cleaning and eating.

Next month I get $396 pay which is going to be quite a windfall.  I now have $144 check and another $140 in cash which makes me a rich man now.  You will probably get about $400 next month as I have nothing which I need to spend money on.  I already have too much of everything.  

Well I must close now because I am short of time, paper and words,

With love

Austin  .

Birthday - 45

Birthday - 45

Dear Mother:

I got letters from about everyone today and I really should answer them but how can I and keep up in my social life?  It is just one big whirl.  

Well Mother, you can no longer make me do dishes or go to bed or do anything but disinherit me and kick me out.  Today I am a man???  I am no longer your little boy but 21 years old, old enough to vote and pick the next president.  My it's a wonderful feeling but I feel like I did yesterday.  I know my rights now and you had better look out.

You know I don't think I will disconnect myself from the family quite yet.  I still like most of the people in Stoneham and it seems that my favorite relations live in Stoneham.  The Army still has quite an influence on me so I can't see that I have gained a heck of a lot in the last 24 hours.

The Seeleys and the Schmales were both wonderful.  They tried to give me a good time and were very successful.  It's no so much what they do as just the gesture.  It makes one feel good to know that someone cares. I doubt if we could have run into two any finer families if we had set out to find them.  How lucky I am.

Well Sam and I are giving the girls a break.  We are having a little trouble breaking their hearts but I hope they get over it and don't take their lives because we spurned their love.  After all they should feel lucky to even get a date with such an eligible pair.  We sure are a gift to the women.  We meet all comers on their home ground.

Well maybe it isn't that bad but we have never been refused since we have been here.  Once we took a girl away from a lab period and again away from a study period for an exam.  They are always too glad to come and help us spend our money.  The trouble is they don't seem to be gold diggers but rather spend thrifts.  

I shouldn't write to you about such things because you might get the idea that I will fall in love or something but that won't happen.  I am immune to women and have a fond intention of being a bachelor.  Maybe after I have made a million I will give some nice pretty home-loving girl a break but not till I find one such.

I hope you haven't forgotten the newspaper for the Seeley's.  Now about those pictures.  I sure would like some kind of proof that I had the pictures taken.  Never mind the small pictures if they are going to be a bunch of highway robbers.  What they are asking is much too much.  maybe Mr. Braynard can tell you what we should know but don't get the small pictures if they are going to ask all of what you quoted to me.

I guess I will have to leave off here and continue some other day.

With love

Austin.

January 28, 1945

Jan 28, 1945

Dear Mother:

I guess the first thing you noticed is my new stationery.  We had it made up a couple of weeks ago and received it yesterday.  it is more along the line of what I have been wanting for quite a while.  It is not just what I want but it will do fine until then.

The other day you said that a box is on the way and I got it yesterday (Sat.) You said that the candy inside was not too good but I have heard comment quite to the contrary.  Really it was wonderful.  Of course it tasted great and it was not too soft.  I had an idea that it was going to be hard as a brick but actually it was just right.  Maybe you didn't get to sample it.  The Seeleys and Sam all thought it was wonderful.  Mr. Seeley was a candy salesman at one time.

Today we went to the First Plymouth Congregational Church here in town.  We asked the deacon's wife to come to church with us and she said that he guessed "Will" wouldn't mind too much.  However we had to promise to go to church with them next week.

This church is really a very elaborate structure.  They have bells all around the steeple which they play each Sunday morning.  The building was remodeled and added to recently and cost the church $120,000.  The interior is really beautiful have brown trimming and tinted pillars extending from a very high ceiling to the floor.

Even though the place was beautiful the minister is not too hot.  Of course he is a very talented man as he would have to be but the has a poor voice and poor delivery.  If it hadn't been for Sam I would have gone to sleep.  So you see the church does not make a man great, but rather a man can make a church famous.  You probably noticed that the minister has a radio audience.  He is a hard worker I am told because the church is only $40,000 in debt.

We had to go out to the Base this morning to see if we were alerted for shipping.  We also were supposed to get fitted for a new oxygen mask.  We were neither put on the alert or got the mask so it was a rather wasted 2 1/2 hours.  We did get back in time for church so we felt O.K.

Oh darn I forgot to mention the rest of the box.  The slippers fit just fine.  In fact I am wearing them right now.  They were just what I wanted.  I wanted the leather soles so I could do a little walking around in them.  They look good too so they really do the job.  I also got the socks.  I haven't looked them over yet to see how well you did the job but I hope I won't find a lot of lumps all over them where you sewed them up.  I really am in need of some heavy socks to go under my heavy shoes.
Is William still short of "butts"?

With love
Austin xxxx

December 28, 1944

Roswell Field

Dec 28, 1944

Dear Mother:

I haven't written you in a couple of days so you must feel a little slighted.  Not much happens so I just can't write about nothing at all.

It snowed here last night and it really looked grand.  Things always quiet down so when it snows and everything looks so clean.  It was only about 1 inch of snow but it was 1 inch more than a lot of the fellows had ever seen.  Of course there was a snowball fight first thing this morning and quite a number more until the snow was all gone.  Everyone had a lot of fun out of it and I wish it had stayed for a couple of days.  Maybe the next one will stay longer.

Actually it is not cold enough here for heavy clothes.  However it seems awful cold so I don't know what I shall do if I get home soon.  It must really be cold where you are and I hope to be soon.  I can't remember if I have any heavy clothes to wear.  Probably William has them all and I will freeze.

We are going to meetings at 10:00 and 1500 each day just to see that we are still on the post.  It is the same old deal that we had while at Luke Field.  We have nothing to do so they have a little get together twice a day to see that we don't have too much fun in town.  It gets to be a pain in the neck after awhile.

We go to the movies every other night because we have nothing better to do.  The pictures are usually very good and recent Hollywood releases.  It seems that the Army Posts get to see the films first, maybe to see how well the public likes the pictures and maybe because they figure that seeing what a great sacrifice we are making we should see them first.  Then after we come back from overseas we can go to the neighborhood theaters and catch up where we left off.  Most of your pictures are rather stale when I see them listed in the paper.

A good friend of mine got married on Christmas Eve.  I believe he is a Protestant and his wife a Catholic so we have our fingers crossed.  She is a School Teacher whom he met here in town about 3 months ago.  He claims he loves her and she is rather quiet about the whole thing.  She is about 4 years older and at one time engaged to a fellow lost over Germany in a B17.  The boy's folks are separated and he was one of those fellows who lived half a year with his mother and half a year with his father.  We all wished him all the luck in the world and I imagine he really will need it.

Well enough for the scandals.  I am about to do some washing and then go to bed.  Maybe I will be home soon, sooner than you think.

I hope!!!!!!????

With love

Austin

December 19, 1944

Even if I am a thousand miles away this coming Christmas day I can be with you all in spirit.  I hope you don't miss me as much as I miss you because it could be a lot happier if we could at least be together on this day.

With love

Austin

It now seems that all the plans I have made for this coming holiday will be dashed.  I had so wished to be at home but I am not so unhappy that I cannot enjoy my second Christmas away from home in the memories of the many so happy celebrations before.

With love
Austin

December 10, 1944 (2)

Roswell Field

Dec. 10, 1944

Dear Mother:

I have decided to clean up my desk here and I guess if I get rid of some of my unanswered letters I will have a good start.

Last weekend my friend from Dallas and I went to El Paso to see the bright lights for a change.  We were so tired of Roswell we decided to take the first bus out of town and go to the nearest big city.  It so happened  that it went to Texas so that is where we went.  It really is fun to take off and go just anywhere that the bus goes and leave all worries behind.

I remember that a couple of years ago I used to want to do just that.  The trains would go by or the busses would go by and I was fascinated by their passing.  I used to wonder just where they went and wished I could be on them and go until I was somewhere else.  When you have no strings attached and all the money you need you can just pick up and go.  No one cares where you go and you are on your own to see the world.  I'll bet you would like to do that.  I'll bet you would like to pick up and go and leave everything behind.  Why don't you?  After all your children have grown up and don't depend upon you, or at least they shouldn't.  Why don't you take a trip and leave cares behind and let tomorrow take care of it's self?  It really is a lot of fun and you do get a chance to see the world.  After you get back home looks like heaven and the next week looks like a new adventure, not the same old grind.

We had a lot of fun and met a lot of people most of whom you wouldn't care to meet again but you have your memories of a good time and you can always tell your grand children about one more city and one more trip you have taken.  You know you can only be young once and you will never get younger.  

I can't really tell much about the city in a letter because I am full of little stories which would fill several letters.  I guess we ran into all the characters in town and had all the fun ourselves at least we were in on a lot of it.  All you have to do is just look around and the fun will come to you, you can't sit in a hotel room and look for it but you must go in search of it.

For example we were just looking for something to do in the hotel, looking at the beautiful lobby and in general seeing what there was to see about a hotel when we came upon a very noisy ballroom.  In fact it was the "Crystal Ballroom" of the hotel.  When we tried to get in where they were dancing the usher stopped us and he wore an Optometrist's Convention button.  By looking very unhappy and lost in the big city he listened to our story and allowed us to go in.  We had crashed the first barrier.  Well we were inside and looking very unhappy while the old men and wives danced by, looking rather silly cutting up the way they were when a very beautiful young lady (must of been one of the old boy's daughters) came up to me and asked if I wished to dance.  Well who am I to refuse a lady?  We danced for awhile and when the music stopped I brought her over to where my buddy was standing and introduced him.  He kind of asked in a joking way if her mother approved of her dancing with young 2nd Lts.  I guess she nearly died laughing but when she calmed down we asked what was the big joke.  Well she proceeded to point out "her mother".  He was a young Air Corp man with Captain's bars on his shoulders getting a big laugh out of us.  We did hasty "good nights" and made a hasty retreat out the door.  She had danced with me on a bet I guess but we enjoyed the incident and they seemed to have so we had as much fun as they laughing about it.  Now that is one little story and we have lots more but look at the space I have taken.

We also were looking for something to do when another very attractive young lady and mother stopped us and asked if we would swap some gasoline stamps for a bottle of "Scotch".  Well we had no stamps but asked her what made her stop us.  Well she said, someone had told her that officers got all the gasoline they wanted and were always ready to swap it for some unobtainable "Scotch".  We very gently informed her that officers did not get all the stamps they wanted.  She was on her way from Phoenix to Georgia and was stuck with no gas.  So what do you think about romance in a big city.  I guess O'Henry would have a field day right now if only he were alive or, if only I were a good author.

I am going to spend a few days in Dallas when our leave comes.  Sam has invited me to his home and I am not one to refuse good Texan hospitality.  I am beginning to like Texas because no matter where you go someone is ready to show you around and open his house to you which is another story.

We are starting administrative school here.  We have finished flying and they are awaiting orders to our next base.  I could have been on my way home now but I would have had to volunteer to go in a shipment to Florida.  They leave here the 12th and report at Tampa on the 27th.  Even so they will not be home for Christmas and that is what I am waiting for.  School is over on the 23rd and we may be able to leave then.  School might get over sooner so here's hoping.  This school is just a pain in the neck and used primarily as an excuse to keep us here.  We use it to write letters and read books so not much is gained or lost on either side.  Each class is about 20 min long instead of the required 50 because the officers realize what goes on.  Although the intentions are wonderful the results hardly warrant the feeble efforts.

I am reading another book this time a historical novel by F. Van Wyck Mason called "Stars on the Sea".  It is about the Revolutionary war in New England.  It gives a pretty good account of what went on in Boston and in Newport R.I.  I have just got started and it seems like rather good reading.  You will probably get it along with the rest when I get home.

Well I have wasted enough time and ink on nothing at all so I will sign off.  I am sending a Jap 1/2 shilling which I got form a soldier down in E.P. It came off the body of a dead Jap he claims which is another odd story. Boy am I really full of them.  Please put it away so I can have it as a reminder of something to tell when it gets cold and the fireplace is making an idle tongue wag.

With love

Austin